This activity will help you develop your own concise news writing style by replicating what BBC journalists have to do every day.

Journalists writing for the BBC News or BBC Sport websites have to be able to write very concisely because most of their stories also appear on the Ceefax and Red Button text services, which are usually just four paragraphs long.

This is the same story on the BBC Sport website and the Red Button - but the Red Button text service has only four paragraphs to tell the story, while the website goes on to expand on its report

So the stories have to sum up all the important facts - the five W's and How - in four paragraphs (before expanding on them for the websites). That means every word counts.

Find a current story that interests you in a newspaper or think of a famous historical incident.

Now try to tell the story in four paragraphs, which in BBC Red Button terms equates to about 80 words.

What kind of information do you have to cut out? What do you notice about the language you use? How many of the 5 W's did you manage to cover?

You will probably need to rewrite your script, using the second worksheet, which is all good news making practice.

Once you have completed your script, you can add in notes about any quotes, sound effects, stills, graphics etc, on the left-hand side of the worksheet.

If you've finished your script, write a cue - that's the introduction that another presenter gives before they hand to the journalist presenting the report. Remember, the aim is to promote the piece, not to tell the story. So, in your cue, don't repeat the words that are in the opening sentences of the report.

Quiz: Writing news (10 mins)

Quiz: Writing news

This is your chance to see just how much you know about writing a good news story.

1.) Writing news

Journalists use language that is clear, * and correct.

concise

cool

crafty

2.) Writing news

Journalists' language is simple and to the point. Which of the following phrases is the best example?

Police hit out as demonstrators make point

Riot police used shields to push demonstrators back

Demonstrators show their emotions as police get involved in clash

3.) Writing news

Which of the following will help make your report more interesting?

Made-up facts

Quotes from key interviewees

Exclamation marks!!!

4.) Writing news

Which of these is most likely to annoy readers?

Jargon

Big chunks of text

Inaccurate spelling and grammar

5.) Writing scripts

After you've written your script, what's the first thing you should do?

Give it straight to the editor

Read it aloud to make sure it sounds okay

Move on to the next story

6.) Writing headlines

What is the golden rule for writing headlines?

Be as clever as possible

Keep it short and bright

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story

Answers

The answer is concise, which means short. When you're writing the news, it's important to keep your sentences short, so that people can understand what you are trying to tell them. It's also important that your report is not too long, otherwise people will switch off.

Riot police used shields to push demonstrators back is the most clear because it simple and straightforward. No word is wasted. The other examples are vague and unclear.

Quotations will add interest to your report. A quote is a great way to add some colour. Listen out for interesting or amusing quotes when you are interviewing people.

Inaccurate spelling and grammar is most likely to annoy people, so double check before you publish. But long chunks of text and jargon are also irritating!

The first thing you should do is to read it aloud to make sure it sounds OK. It may feel a little weird to read something you've written out loud, especially when the people around you are quiet. But journalists who write for radio and TV are always told to read their scripts aloud to make sure there are no tongue twisters in it!

A headline should be short and simple. It should grab people's attention but mustn't mislead them. Be clear and tell readers what the story is about.

Your Score

0 - 1 : Keep working at it

2 - 4 : Good but could be better

5 - 6 : Well done!

NOTE FOR TEACHERS

The online quiz gives you the answers at the end of every question. If you are using the quiz worksheet, the answers can be found here:

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.